Huron Heat teams win tournament gold
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
Over the weekend, the U13 B Huron Heat claimed gold at the 44th annual Walter Gretzky Tournament, hosted by the Brantford Ice Cats, going through the proceedings with a dominant undefeated performance in which they only allowed one goal all tournament.
Action began on Friday with a 6-0 win over the Ennismore Eagles in the very first game of the tournament, followed by a 3-0 win over the host Brantford Ice Cats. The next day, the Heat first beat the North Halton Twisters by a score of 2-0 and then the Stoney Creek Sabres by a score of 7-0.
In the semi-finals on Sunday, the Heat then beat the Ennismore Eagles by a score of 5-1, conceding their only goal of the tournament, before beating the Sudbury Lady Wolves in the finals by a score of 1-0 to win gold.
At the same tournament, the U15 BB Heat were there, but not quite as lucky.
The team opened the tournament with a scoreless draw with the host Brantford Ice Cats and a 7-0 win over the Hamilton Hawks, both on Friday. The next day, the Heat fell to the Stittsville Rockets by a score of 2-1, but then beat the Waterloo Ravens by a score of 3-0 that night.
On Sunday, in the championship round, the Heat faced the Temiskaming Shores Puckhounds, the eventual tournament winners, in the semi-finals, but fell by a score of 3-1.
Also in tournament action, the U9 B team was in Oakville for the annual Survive the Hive tournament where some of the youngest members of the Heat organization won gold. This Heat team also put on a stunning display of dominance on the way to the top of the podium, outscoring their opponents 64-3.
On Friday, the Heat beat the Woolwich Wild by a score of 11-0 to open the tournament, followed by a 16-0 blowout over the Burlington Barracudas. The next day, the team beat the Oakville Hornets by a score of 7-0 and the North Durham Blades by a score of 11-1.
In the championship round on Sunday, the Heat beat the Wilmot Wolverines in the quarterfinals by a score of 11-0, followed by a semi-final win over the Orangeville Tigers by a score of 5-0. Then, in a championship game nail-biter, the Heat beat the Cambridge Roadrunners by a score of 3-2 to claim gold.
Looking back at the playoff action of the past week, on Sunday, the U11 C Heat beat the Owen Sound Ice Hawks by a score of 2-0 in Clinton, the U18 BB Heat beat the London Devilettes by a score of 1-0 in Clinton, the U11 A Heat lost to the St. Thomas Panthers by a score of 1-0 in Clinton and the U13 C Heat lost to the Kitchener Lady Rangers on the road by a score of 1-0.
The U11 B Heat played the Lucknow/Wingham 86ers in Lucknow, the U15 B Heat played the Saugeen Shores Storm on the road and the Senior C team hosted Monkton in Brussels, but scores were unavailable at press time. The U18 B Heat lost to the Woodstock Wildcats by a score of 2-1 in Seaforth, while the U15 C Heat beat the London Devilettes by a score of 5-0 and the U18 C Heat tied the Lucan Irish at one, both in Clinton.
One day earlier, on Saturday, the U11 C Heat lost to the Saugeen Shores Storm by a score of 1-0, the U13 C Heat tied the Kitchener Lady Rangers at one and the U13 HL Heat beat the Lucan Irish by a score of 4-1, all in Seaforth. The U15 C Heat beat the Central Perth Predators 1-0 on the road, the U11 B Heat beat the Wolverines in Wilmot by a score of 2-1, the U15 A Heat tied the London Devilettes at two in Clinton and the U18 BB Heat lost to the London Devilettes by a score of 4-3 on the road.
In the four playoff games on Friday, the U15 C Heat beat the St. Marys Rock in Blyth by a score of 1-0, the U18 C Heat lost to the St. Marys Rock by a score of 2-1 in Hensall, the U11 A Heat lost to the Panthers in St. Thomas by a score of 1-0 and the U15 B Heat tied the South Bruce Blades at one in Seaforth.
On Thursday, the U18 B Heat lost big to the Lucan Irish in Blyth by a score of 9-1, while the U15 C Heat tied the South Huron Sabres at one and the U15 A Heat lost to the South Huron Sabres by a score of 3-0, both on the road.
One day earlier, the U15 A Heat beat the London Devilettes by a score of 3-1 on the road and the U11 B Heat travelled south for a playdown with the South Huron Sabres, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.
Back on Tuesday, Feb. 17, the U13 C Heat tied their playdown with the Central Perth Predators in Brussels at two. The U13 A
Heat won their game with the Aces in Stratford by a score of 2-0 and the U11 B hosted a playdown with the Stratford Aces in Seaforth, but a score was unavailable at press time. On Monday, Feb. 16, the U15 B Heat tied their playdown on the road with the Mitchell Meteors at one.
Looking back at the regular season action of the past week, on Sunday, the U9 C Heat were on the road to play the Central Perth Predators, but a score was unavailable at press time. On Saturday, the U9 HL team hosted the St. Thomas Panthers in Seaforth, posting a 3-1 win, while the U9 C Heat lost to the Twin Centre Hericanes by a score of 3-1 on the road.
On Monday, Feb. 23, the U11 C Heat played the Stratford Aces, the U13 A Heat also played the Stratford Aces, the U15 B Heat played the Mitchell Meteors and the U18 BB Heat took on the London Devilettes, all on the road.
The next night, the U11 A Heat took on the Stratford Aces in Brussels and the U11 C Heat took on the South Huron Sabres, the U13 A Heat played the Stratford Aces and the U15 B Heat took on the Central Perth Predators, all in Seaforth. On the road, the U13 C Heat were in Stratford to play the Aces. Scores for those games were unavailable at press time.
On Wednesday, Feb. 25, the U15 A Heat played the Devilettes in London and the U15 BB Heat took on the Aces in Stratford. The next night, the U11 A Heat were in Stratford to play the Aces, the U18 B Heat hosted the Stratford Aces in Blyth, the U13 C Heat were in Howick to play the Upper Maitland Mustangs, the U13 B Heat played the London Devilettes in Seaforth and the U15 C Heat played the Central Perth Predators in Brussels. Scores for those games were unavailable at press time.
Looking to the playoff action ahead, tonight, Friday, Feb. 27, the U11 C Heat will play the South Huron Sabres on the road, the U15 A Heat will host the South Huron Sabres in Seaforth, the U18 B Heat will play the Aces in Stratford, the U18 C Heat will host the Lucknow/Wingham 86ers in Hensall and the U15 BB Heat will play the Stratford Aces in Seaforth.
The next day, the U13 C Heat will host the Central Perth Predators and the U13 HL team will play the West Oxford Inferno, both in Seaforth, while, on the road, the U13 B Heat will play the Stratford Aces, the U18 B Heat will play the Twin Centre Hericanes, the U11 C Heat will play the Mount Forest Rams, the U11 A Heat will take on the Stratford Aces and the U15 BB Heat will play the Lakeshore Lightning.
On Sunday, the U18 C team will play the Upper Maitland Mustangs on the road, while the U15 BB Heat will take on the Lakeshore Lightning and the U11 A Heat will play the Stratford Aces, both in Clinton. The U11 C Heat will play the Ice Hawks in Owen Sound and the U18 BB Heat will play the Aces in Stratford, while the U11 HL Heat will play the Lambeth Lancers in Brussels, the U13 C Heat will play the South Huron Sabres on the road, the U15 C Heat will play the Panthers in St. Thomas, the U15 BB Heat will host the Lakeshore Lightning in Seaforth and the U18 B Heat will head to Lucan for a game with the Irish.
In regular season action over the weekend, on Saturday, the U9 C team will play the Central Perth Predators and the U9 Hl team will host the Ilderton Jets, both in Seaforth, while the U9 B Heat will take on the Orangeville Tigers on the road.
The next day, the U7 Heat will be in Ilderton to play the Jets, the U9 C Heat will play the B.A.D. Blazers on the road and the U9 HL Heat will play the Panthers in St. Thomas.
In weekday playoff action, the U18 C Heat will head to St. Marys on Monday, March 2 for a game with the Rock, followed by a quartet of games the next night: the U11 C Heat will play the Upper Maitland Mustangs in Brussels, the U13 B Heat will be in Stratford to play the Aces and the U11 B Heat will play the St. Marys Rock and the U13 A Heat will play the Stratford Aces, both in Seaforth.
On Wednesday, March 4, the U11 A Heat will play the Stratford Aces on the road, followed by March 5 games between the U15 B Heat and the St. Marys Rock and the U13 B Heat and the Stratford Aces, both in Seaforth, as well as a game between the U18 B Heat and the St. Marys Rock in Blyth.